Pop. Crack. Sizzle. The noise a student hears as an energy drink is opened. According to the CDC, 30-50% of high school students drink an energy drink each day at school.
Over the last few years, marketing for drinks such as Alani NU, Bloom Energy, Celsius and Monster Energy, has been targeted towards teens. Whether it is catchy flavors or bright colors, they reach into teens’ minds and eventually end up in their hands.
As the day goes by hands are holding drinks, drinks averaging 200mg of caffeine. The amount of caffeine recommended for an adult per day is 400mg. That can account for four eight ounce cups of coffee. On the other hand, Celsius Heat is 300mg, meaning that less than two Celsius drink are over the recommended amount of caffeine consumption.
As students are consuming maximum levels of caffeine a day, many may wonder why this phenomenon is happening.
“I think that teenagers don’t get enough sleep,” substitute teacher Samanatha Moyer said. “Also, they like the flavors a lot, so they do not care about the caffeine levels.”
Biology teacher Emily Bullard has also noticed a similar trend.
“I think its not necessarily the caffeine itself, but it is the sweetness of the drink and seeing everyone else who have them,” Bullard said. “I am a also a victim to energy drinks. When I see a colorful can I know I have to try it. They are very marketed for younger demographics.”
Sometimes, the need for caffeine is real, and not due to seeing a colorful can in the fridge.
“I usually get home around 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. almost every day,” sophomore Liliana Baker said. “I then wake up really early for school and get tired quickly. I will have an energy drink in the morning, and then if I am tired in the afternoon, have another one.
Students lives’ and busy schedules can lead to the constant desire for caffeine.
“I am always tired from having a lot of work and being out,” sophomore Addison Heaton said. “In a week, I have around 10 energy drinks total.”
While caffeine is a factor in helping students wake up, it also leads to adverse affects.
“I think it can affect a lot of things in education,” Baker said. “I think it can affect attention span, and you’re always overly energized. It also makes it harder to write because of the caffeine making you have shaking hands.”
Bullard has noticed this in her classes.
“I have an energetic crew to begin with,” Bullard said. “I recognize that when they have drank energy drinks, and we’re doing a seated activity, the outbursts increase at a more rapid rate.”
Teenagers who consume a large amount of caffeine are a common sight in American schools as 30 – 50% of students have an energy drink everyday. This is not something that only happens in an American school but is a worldwide phenomenon.
“We don’t have Alani, but Redbull is from Austria,” Austrian exchange student Caroline Proch said. “A lot of teenagers drink Monster or Redbull daily.”
The student store is home to some caffeine free drinks. Poppi has several caffeine free sodas in the student store. To ensure the drink is caffeine free, check the label.
